Apparatus for surfacing sheets



J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR SURFACING SHEETS Original Filed March 18, 1922 Feb. 28, 1928.

5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 28, 1928.

J. H. FOX

APPARATUS FOR SURFACING SHEETS Ori inal Filed March 18 19 2 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J H FOX APPARATUS FOR SURFACING SHEETS Original Filed March 1922 Feb. 28, 1928.

STATES JOHN H. FOX, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR SUBFACING SHEETS.

Original application filed March 18, 1922, Serial No. 544,781. Divided and this application filed August 23, 1923.

This invention relates to apparatus for surfacing sheets such as plate glass, marble or the like, the apparatus being illustrated and described as applied to the grinding and 6 polishing of plate glass, and the present application constituting a division of my application, Serial No. 544,781, filed March 18, 1922. It has for its'principal object the provision of a track. or car system having improved means for coupling the cars to gether and for maintaining the top surfaces of the cars in the same horizontal'plane during the surfacing operation so that the series of surfacing devices employed will 1 operate upon a substantially plane, unbroken surface. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial plan view showing the general arrangement of parts in connec; tion with which the cars are employed, such figure corresponding to Fig. 13 of my application heretofore referred to. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the cars, and Fig.

3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2. .Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on an-enlargcd,scale through the ends of two cars to illustrate the coupling device, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of onepart of the coupling device shown in Fig. 4.

The primary feature of the invention consists in the arrangement for coupling the cars together so that there is no relative movement at th'ir ends. In its preferred as form this feature involves the idea of supporting the end of one car upon the end of the car next adjacent. This requires that each car should be slightly lower at one end than at the other,and in coupling the cars,

40 the coupling device is employed to bring the ends of the cars in such relation that the weight of the low end of the one car istransferred to the high end of the adjacent car, this being accomplished by means of the inclined surfaces on the two ends. The difference in height between the two ends of each car may be varied within certain limits, but is preferably about one-eighth of an inch and the abutting ends of the two cars are preferably arranged with stop means, sothat no further relative movement can occur after the top surfaces of the two ends have been Serial No. 658,890.

brought to the same level. In case the track is kept perfectly level and adjustments are made at relatively short intervals to compensate for wear in the journals of the cars, it is possible to dispense with the feature of having the difference in level at the two ends of the car, in which case the coupling devices will merely pull the cars into abutting and overlapping engagement without lifting either of them.

In the general arrangement shown in Fig. 1, 1 and 2 are a pair of parallel tracks with an interposed return track 3, and 5 and 6 are transfer tracks for shifting the cars between the three parallel tracks. Along the tracks 1 and 2 are arranged the surfacing. 7

devices comprising a series of grinding machines 7 and a series of polishlng machines 8. Only two machines are shown on each track, but it will be understood that there are a large number of such devices 'as illustrated in my copending application. The cars 9 carrying upon their tops the sheets of glass to be ground and polished arestarted at the left hand end of the track 1 and passed beneath the series of grinders and polishers above the track, finally reaching the right hand endof such track, where they are run onto the transfer car 10 carried by the track 5. This car is then moved along the track 5 until the cars 9 are in alignment with a second transfer car 11 carried by the track 3. After the cars 9 are loaded upon this transfer car 11, they are carried along the track 3 and transferred to the transfer car 12 mounted on the track 6. From this transfer car, the cars 9 are shifted to the track 2, the glass being turned over during the trans- .fer to bring the rough side uppermost. The

and 1-1 to the left hand-end of the track 1.

The cars are preferably of the type shown .in Figs} 2 and. 3. consisting of a cast iron to co-operate with two oppositely inclined surfaces 16 at the end of the next car, the end 17 of the car having the surfaces 15 bein preferably about higher than the en 18 of the car having the surfaces 16, s6 that by the car end 17 having the surfaces 15.'

The dotted lines A, on Fig. 4:, indicate the position ofthe end of the left hand car before the hook 20 is operated to make the inclined surface 16 ride up'over the surface 15 until the end surfaces contact at 19 and the top surface of the left hand car is brought to the same level as that of the right hand car.

In order to couple the cars together and secure the cooperation above described between the inclined surfaces to transfer the weight of the low end of the one car to the high end of the adjacent car, the coupling member 20 is employed (Fig. 4) carried by the high car end 17 and engaging the plate 21 bolted to the low car end 18. The member 20 is yieldingly held in its upper position, as shown, by means of the pin 22 and spring 23. This permits the inclined end 24: to be cammed down when it engages the inclined end 25 on the plate 21, so that the parts may move past each other to the engaging position shown. The member 20 is pivoted upon the pin 26 carried upon the downwardly projecting brackets 27 on the car end 17, the brackets being provided with the slots 28, so that the member 20 may be moved longitudinally with respect to the car end 17 in bringing the two car ends to the pos1tion shown. This longitudinal movement is accomplished by means of the draw bar 29 engaging the pivot 26 at its front end (Fig. 5) and threaded at its rear end through the hub 30 of the worm wheel 31. The worm wheel is held against longitudinal movement with respect to the bracket 32 by means of the nuts 33 threaded to the hub of the wheel. The worm wheel is rotated by means of the worm 34.- on the shaft 35 provided at its end with the hand wheel 36 (Fig. 2). In this manner power means is provided for pulling the ends of the cars together after the member 20 has engaged the plate 21 until the top surfaces 19 engage, thus causing the low end 18 to rise up on the high end 17, bringing the top surfaces of the two cars at the same level and throwing the combined weight of the adjacent ends of the cars upon the wheels of the car having the high end. In order to provide for the automatic uncoupling of the cars when they reach the end of the tracks, the arm 37 is provided on the member 20. i fhen this arm is pushed up, it swings the forward end 20 down, releasing it from the plate 21. To accomplish this function automatically suitably positioned cams 38 are provided at the ends of the tracks 1 and 2.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A surfacing train comprising a plurality of cars arranged in series end to end, overlapping members at the ends of the cars for preventing relative vertical. movement thereof whereby the top surfaces are main tained flush with each other, and means carried by the cars for pulling their opposing ends into contact and holding them there with said overlapping members in operative engagement. v

2. In combination in surfacing apparatus,

a track, cars for carrying sheets to be surfaced along said track, surfacing devices arranged in series along the track, overlapping members at the ends of the cars for preventing relative vertical movement thereof whereby the to surfaces are maintained flush with each ot er, means carried by the cars for pulling their opposing ends into contact and holding them there with said overlapping means in operative engagement, and automatic means for releasing said last means after the cars have passed from beneath said surfacing devices.

'3. A surfacing train comprising a plurality of cars arranged in series end to end, and means at the abutting ends of the cars for lifting one car so that the top surface of such car is substantially level with the top surface of the next car and so that a portion of the weight of the one car is partially borne by said next car.

i. A surfacing train comprising a series of cars for carrying sheets to be surfaced, each of which has one end slightly lower than the other end, overlapping inclined surfaces on adjacentcars attheir abutting ends, and

means for pulling the cars together so that the inclined surfaces eo-act to lift the low end of the one car to bring its top surface to the level of the top surface of the high end of the next car, and so that a part of the weight of the car having the low end is borne by said next car.

5. A surfacing train comprising a series of cars for carrying sheets to be surfaced, each of which has one end slightly lower than the other end, overlapping inclined surfaces on adjacent cars at their abutting ends, couplin'g means for pulling the cars together so that the inclined surfaces coast to lift the low end of the one car to bring the top surface to the. level of the top surface of the high end of'the next car and so that a part of the weight of the car having the low end is borne by said next car, and. means for releasing the coupling means to permit the cars to separate.

b. it. surfacing train comprising a series of cars for carrying sheets to be surfaced, each of which has one end slightly lower than the other end, overlapping inclined surfaces on adjacent .cars at their abutting ends, a couplingmember on each car adapted to engage the next car, manually operable power means for moving the coupling member longitudis nally of the car on which it is mounted so I that the cars are pulled closer together and the inclined surfaces co-act to lift the low end of the one car to bring its top surface to the level of the top surface of the high end of the next car, stop means for limiting such movement when the top surface of the ing the engagement ofthe coupling member with said next car to permit the cars to sepa rate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of Aug, 1923. v 

